Shafaqna English– In a Friday(24 Jul 2026) announcement, the USDA declared that it is rescinding the ban on cattle shipments from Mexico, a restrictive trade policy that had been enforced for more than a year.
The original ban was introduced to prevent the introduction of New World screwworm, a highly invasive and damaging parasite that attacks warm-blooded animals, including cattle, and has the potential to cause catastrophic losses to the U.S. livestock sector.
The suspension of cattle imports from Mexico had a direct and severe impact on U.S. beef markets, driving prices to unprecedented record levels. This surge in costs placed a heavy financial burden on American consumers and intensified political pressure on President Donald Trump’s administration to find ways to reduce food prices.
In a further blow, the import ban ultimately proved ineffective in achieving its primary goal, as the screwworm pest continued its northward migration through Central America and was eventually detected in June on farms in Texas and New Mexico.